I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine When I was just a baby too little for the cotton sack I played in the dirt while the others worked 'Til they couldn't straighten up their backs And I made myself a promise when I was old enough to run That I'd never stay a single day In that Oklahoma sun And I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine Folks said that I grew up early and the farm couldn't hold me then So I stole ten bucks and a pickup truck and I never went back again Then it was fast cars and whiskey, long legged girls and fun I had everything that money could bring and I took it all with a gun And I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine It was Saturday night in Memphis when a redneck grabbed my shirt And he said go back to your cotton sack, I left him lying in the dirt And they'll take me in the morning to the gallows just outside And in the time I've got there ain't a hell of a lot I can look back on with pride But I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine
I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine When I was just a baby too little for the cotton sack I played in the dirt while the others worked 'Til they couldn't straighten up their backs And I made myself a promise when I was old enough to run That I'd never stay a single day In that Oklahoma sun And I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine Folks said that I grew up early and the farm couldn't hold me then So I stole ten bucks and a pickup truck and I never went back again Then it was fast cars and whiskey, long legged girls and fun I had everything that money could bring and I took it all with a gun And I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine It was Saturday night in Memphis when a redneck grabbed my shirt And he said go back to your cotton sack, I left him lying in the dirt And they'll take me in the morning to the gallows just outside And in the time I've got there ain't a hell of a lot I can look back on with pride But I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine I never picked cotton Like my mother did and my brother did And my sister did and my Daddy died young Workin' in a coal mine
